LightSquared Update 6/29/11

LightSquared is continuing to sign on new customers for its yet un-approved network: Tuesday it announced voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) firm netTALK has entered into a "multi-year wholesale agreement" to buy bandwidth. LightSquared's chief marketing officer, Frank Mueller says the company is in active negotiations with 20 companies.

On the against side, SaveOurGPS.org issued its rebuttal to the proposed LightSquared solution in a three page PDF on Monday. The org added new members on Tuesday: FedEx, the New York City Fire Department, BoatUS, the Associated General Contractors of America, the Experimental Aircraft Owners Association, the Association of American Railroads and the Air Line Pilots Association.

On the pro LightSquared side comes an editorial from ConnectedPlanet Online's Kevin Fitchard (Wireless Infrastructure Editor) that argues SaveOurGPS is going too far stating that no solution is possible. It's titled: Why the GPS industry needs to work with LightSquared and reads in part:

The shut-it-down-at-all-costs rhetoric brought the issue to the public and lawmakers' attention, but now that reasonable assurances that GPS is safe are in place, that rhetoric is counterproductive. By shouting from the rooftops that no possible solution could ever exist, Save Our GPS is brewing a political storm that would surely forestall any LightSquared build—even if a solution actually does exist. The GPS industry needs to come back to the table and join LightSquared in searching for that solution whatever it may be.